Winch and spring suspension construction for dump trailers



Dec. l, 1953 E. A. scHoNRocK WINCH AND SPRING SUSPENSION CONSTRUCTIONFOR DUMP TRAILERS Filed March 26, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Edwin A.Schonrack INVENTOR.

BY @M26 Dec. l, 1953 E. A. scHoNRocK 2,661,236

WINCH AND SPRING SUSPENSION CONSTRUCTION FOR DUMP TRAILERS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1952 x. 'KO uw mm. m a x A. N .n m w ,E@/Qw Dec. l, 1953 E. A. scHoNRocK 2,661,236

WINCH AND SPRING SUSPENSION CONSTRUCTION FOR DUMP TRAILERS Filed March26, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 4. /53

Edwin A.. Schon/ack INVENTOR.

Y y M Hmm Dec. l,

Filed March 26, 1952 E. A. SCHON ROCK WINCH AND SPRING SUSPENSIONCONSTRUCTION FOR DUMP TRAILERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 6.4

Edwin A. Schonrock INVENTOR.

ec. I, 1953 E. A. scHoNRocK 2,661,236

WINCH AND SPRING SUSPENSION CONSTRUCTION FOR DUMP TRAILERS Filed March26, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Edwin A. Schon/ack INVENTOR.

BY WM5/mm,

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINCH AND SPRINGSUSPENSION CON- STRUCTION FOR DUMP TRAILERS Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful lmprovements in a winch andspring suspension construction for dump trailers, and more particularlyrelates to a lifting mechanism for effecting tilting of the body of thetrailer vehicle about a rear axle to a load dumping position. Thesubject matter set forth in this application constitutes an improvementover my prior Patent No. 2,517,933, patented August 8, 1950; and alsoover my prior pending application Serial No. 207,158, filed January 22,1951, for Lifting Device for a Dump Trailer.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved dumptrailer having a novel and improved spring suspension system forsupporting the same upon tandem wheels whereby the trailer may be tiltedto a dumping position while both of the tandem wheels remain in loadsupporting contact upon the ground.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an improveddump trailer in conformity with the foregoing object in which animproved and novel winch construction is mounted upon the fth wheel ofthe truck for applying power to tilt the dump trailer body to itsdumping position; and wherein an improved transmission mechanism isprovided for connecting the winch system to the power take-oil' of atruck.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide an improveddump trailer in which the winch upon the flfth wheel shall be connectedto the trailer in an improved manner through the use of flexible cablesfor effecting the dumping of the trailer.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention, which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodimentof which has been illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view showing a truck and dump trailerassembly, incorporating therein the principles of this invention, thesame being shown in side elevation and in full lines in the normal loadcarrying position, and in dotted lines in the tilted dumping position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational detail view, taken upon anenlarged scale, parts being broken away and shown in section, andshowing the mounting of the fifth wheel upon the chassis of the truck,the winch mechanism upon the fth wheel, and a portion of the flexiblecable for operatively connecting the Winch with the dump trailer foractuating the tilting mechanism of the same;

Figure 3 is afragmentary horizontal plan View of the mechanism of Figure2, parts of the mechnism being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 4 is a detail View taken in vertical section in an enlarged scalethrough a portion of the rear wheels of the dump trailer and showing thespring suspension and mounting of the same;

Figure 5 is a detail view taken upon an enlarged scale and showing intransverse vertical section the construction of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal plan view, parts being broken away, taken uponan enlarged scale and showing the construction of Figures 4 and` 5;

Figure `'l is a vertical transverse sectional detail view taken upon anenlarged scale through a portion of the truck chassis and the fifthwheel construction thereof of a modified form of fifth wheel driving,and winch mechanism;

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken upon an enlargedscale substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 8--8 ofFigure l, parts being broken away; and

Figure 9 is a horizontal plan view similar to Figure 3 but showing aslightly modied construction for attaching the cable to the trailerbody.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,attention is directed rst to Figure 1 wherein the numeral IG designatesgenerally any desired type of truck or tractor vehicle to which isdetachably connected a dump trailer indicated generally by the numerall2. The truck or tractor, as the same will hereinafter be'designated,isprovided with a fth wheel assembly indicated by the numeral I4 and towhich the dump trailer I2 is detachably coupled as set forthhereinafter.

Although certain features of this invention are not necessarilyrestricted thereto, the dump trailer illustrated is provided with a pairof tandem rear axles and wheels, and is pivotally mounted upon thistandem Wheel assembly 'for vertical pivoting dumping movement'thereon assuggested by the dotted and full lines of Figure 1I Referringnowparticularlyto Figures 1 3, it will be seen that the chassis of thetractor comprises a pair of longitudinal sideframe members I6 and thefifth wheel assembly including its supporting platform is detachablysecured to these frame members. Thus, a pair of parallel longitudinallyextending frame members i8 and transversely` extending frame members 20attached rigidly to I8 constitute the base of the fifth wheel assemblyand rest upon the top of the tractor frame members I6, and are securedthereto as by means of holding straps 2i with clamping bolts 22.

Mounted upon the fth Wheel assembly I4 is a winch casing 24, see Figures2 and 3, having a winch or drum shaft 26 extending transverselytherethroughsandf beyond the opposite sides thereof.` FiXedly'secured tothe -ends of this drum shaft are a pair of drums 28, while a cableanchor such as an eye bolt, pulley or the like 30 is secured to thecasing 24.

A vertical drive shaft 32 is;.disposedaxially of the fifth Wheelassembly I4, being journaled in a standard 34 thereon,and--thisfdri-vefsha=ft is f2-f provided with a driving gear 3,6 uponits upper i,

end. The gear 36 is continuously in meshwith a gear 38 xedly secured tothe winch-'driving shaft 40 which is connected to the drum shaftassembly.

saber-,iis provided witharournalMfwhichis freelyrand:rotatably-r:1-eceived.ruponf the uppers-end of no thewivertica'lfdrive vshaft `fand: -isv further pro- ,l

rvidedrwith-a- `'journal member y4 6 in ,which is 2j ourrntatablmsupported upon then/ertical'fdrivezrshaft 32, it is:evi'clentothatzrotatiorloix thexfthewheel 'Y Twilloinrnozwayfirnpairthedrivmg; relationship of th'eLtractompoweretakeeoizto thegwinchassembly. fz'- transverse axle264ftomhicln2is xedlytsecured a `f pairaoflparallelfliitnarms 86;. :TheseL lift arms in:.turn are piyote'd attheir:oppositeendsto the -.Lvzfzsideframe members: 681nftheptrailerdumplibody, -Y If desired, the liftzarms in any desiredmanner. mean be secured ito theedumpf-body tim the; same mannerset'fforth myrfaboveiidentified.- :patent and my.abdveJidentiiiedzcopendingapplication.

andxfi't will befseensth'at. th'etr'orward;endigofv the body fofthetrailerIZ ds'providedwith aztransverse *it framermember fm1extendinggfrtherebeneath;this

framefmember havingrazcentraldependingipcntin 'I2 which at'itsfmidportion:isnrecessed or 1 cutaway to'rqarovideffasirecessonxclearance 14 fiupon its undersurface.:-.This clearance-asl shown 1;

1fthefwinch"V assembly-whenfthabody :is in its lowered:positionrOnzopposite sides' of4 the;recess if! 14p" andfipositioned :againstandwadjacentrf-:the f- ""transverse'frame member'rposition 12;v themainrailongitudinal'frame memb'ersf are providedryvith i "a :pair -.oi.:.depending:isupportingrsdugs 16;:1Upon their lowertsurfacegetheseflugs.are. Aprovidedfzwith Semi-cylindrical sea'ts 18;.which-1 areadapted to-tzfpartiallyiembrace 'and'.rest upon the-upper-sur- "facesioff thelift. arms GIS-:when the dump.v body is in its'loweredt position asshown in'fullilines 61 thewta-ndem spring assembly.

125witln'nrv theoasing `IM by anyadesiredigearing i c, assembly.therewith.

maledfarstubfaxle-48having avgear vwhich is :1-

ofz thetractor Lto-.theryvinch mechanism; uponthe f ifthrwheel; andsince.thercarrier42:1is'ffreely ro- .Referringinovm morepa'rticularly.-to'figures 1 1 4 while the rearward ends of the lift arms beingpivotally attached to the trailer body serve to couple the same to thetractor.

Attention is now directed more speciiically to 5 Figures 1, 4 6, for aconsideration of the tandem, rear axle assembly of the dump trailerbody. It will be seen that this rear axle assembly comprises a pair ofdead axles 80 and 82 disposed in parallel relation, and to. which. aresecured the "'opposite ends of a pai'rof'ileafsprirlgs 84 as by means ofspring clip members 8E.

A support means is provided for supporting thedearportion of the dumptrailer body upon This support means includes the longitudinallyextending frame members of the truck body, as shown atA(imsuitableltransverse frame members 90 being connected and rigidlysecured to and between :Iframe members 68. The body of the dump traileris of course rigidly secured to the frame members i 6:8;and 90ilintany.- desiredfmanner toffornr'a rigid nA-:pluialityof:{supportfmembersfand-.braees 92 o and :94, are-secured'at their-upper ends .tof the afframe members 5 S and .9 0,- and.atltheir -lowen .ends are :connected to iazpairt ot ,horizontallyrdisposed .:;plates BSSrl-The f-abovefmentionedi elementsmay xbeiwelded.or otherwiserigidly:securedto provide i. asturdy: and: rigidsupporting-r assembly.

yDep'ending'l-from? the'rplates 95.: arefa pair of .C :f1- standardsfS'having seminc-ylindrical bearing re cesses in their lowersuracesoandmcompnising `mgstools which arefdetachably-:connectedbyimeans @of .bearingvcapsf |00 which arwweldedbrxotherfnvise. rigidlyAsecured gto. af-.trunnionnshafirll Suitablefastenmgi boltsIBL-servetoremovably :secure the; stools 18S-tor the-."plates98;-.-.Ihis arrangement permits the;use'.ot differentesizes of stoolsinf-ordentoftattachthei-supporting'frame- V.work .ofy the:truck:body.,-ta theatrunnionshaft I 02 f. r;whensitfisfdesired'tovarythe spacing'of the truck with: respect to the frear: axlefassembly.

:The itrunniorrA shaft j L82 fis turnmrotatably journaled:atiitsextremitiesfin afdepending-bearmember; lftlamountedfuponethespring/s 84 .and havingawremovable;ibearing.` ca-p-` I 08.- The r.Lcaprrmay be. detachably v.secured dto.;` thenbearing member @asbyiwfasteningwbolts ,IIIbiandf preferably the ends of the trunnion |02may .be set am rin;` .rubber bushings inthe. bearing. and. bearing'.r-capr Illzand |08 fon-alimitedioscillatorynnove- '.ment. 4It iscontemplated that thetrunnionshall have azpivotingvmovement.inlthisbearing.

f @It will, thus @be apparent. that the-.dump .trailer body is xedlysecured to thertrunniorrand the ;latter. is pivQta-llyzsecured 1 to. the.springs :of the :rear .-axle assembly.-.whterebyf` the dumpt. bod-y.-`has a.. .tiltingA movement, as-'will tbe;.apparentrrom .thei comparisonoff the.-. full; line aand. .dotted ,-line showings-of Figure '1'.1.During..this tilting fmovement.' howevera it `shall-be-speciiically-inoted` that the tandem wheel assemblysremainsaat.allatirnes upon; the :supporting surface Vor; zroadwayi` while i thepivoting "off thedump -1 body-ris s solely.. about 651 thefaxis-A ofthetrunnion I 02.

Glamped by fmeans ,ofaxzlampingrbolts H2 to the adjacent topsuriaces-of`the :horizontali plates 9E, is; a;lpulley:axle II41. L,AkpulleyblockI;I6 is pivotallyisecured :atfonemend upon:A thepulley axleIIL-and:extendsorwardly therefrom,- beingfprovided :at its:Iforward-,.end'tmfith;alpulley *shaft4 I zIzvnpon-,which'risjnurnaledaiplurality of pulleys :or: sheavesv I2.f:.:The :sides :off theipnlley block areA preferably; providediwithlongitudinally .extendingu::reinforcementso I22fwwhiclmunay. be

either integrally or separately formed and secured between the sides ofthe pulley block and to the pulley axle ||4 and the pulley shaft H8.

It will be particularly noted from Figure 4 that the pulley axle ||4 ismounted directly above the trunnion |02 and above the horizontal planethrough the tandem axles 80 and 82. In addition, the pulley shaft I8 isdisposed in substantially the same horizontal plane as the pulley axle I|4, but is disposed above and forwardly of the trunnion, and above thehorizontal plane through the tandem axles.

Where the three pulley or three sheave arrangement of Figures 4-6 isemployed, a double block will be mounted upon the anchor member 30, anda single cable will have one end secured to the anchor 30, and beentrained over the triple sheaves and the double block, with its freeend secured to one of the Winch drums 28, or to the single winch drumshown in Figure '1. Consequently, when the winch drum is actuated, thecable will be reeled in, thereby moving the trailer towards the tractor,and by virtue of the lift arms which are pivotally connected to both thetractor and trailer, will cause the trailer body to move upwardly into atilting position. As hereinbefore pointed out, during this tiltingmovement the tandem axle assembly will remain in fixed relation to theroad bed, with the entire trailer unit tilting about the trunnioncarried by the tandem axle assembly.

However, in place of the triple pulley assembly of Figures 4 6, I mayprefer to utilize the pulley arrangement of Figures 2, 3 or of Figure 9.Referring now to the drawings illustrating the modified pulleyarrangement of Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the trailer framemembers 66 are provided with a transverse frame member |22 having a pairof upper and lower triangular flanges |24 and |26 which at their'forwardly extending apex are provided with a vertical pivot pin |28.Secured to these flanges by the vertical pivot pin |28, is a pulleysupporting assembly comprising a pair of upper and lower triangularplates |30 and |32 which are hingedly connected to a pair of upper andlower pulley block plates |34 and |36 by a horizontally extending axleor hinge pin |38. A pair of vertical pulley shafts |40 and |42 aredisposed between the plates |34 and |36 to journal sheaves |46 and |48thereon.

A exible member in the form of a cable indicated generally by thenumeral |50 serves to operatively connect the pulleys |46 and |48 withthe winch drums 28. This cable has its end portions |52 and |54 eachconnected to one of the winch drums 28 at the outer side of the same.The intermediate portion of the cable is slidingly received in theanchor member 30, while other portions |56 and |58 extend from theanchor 30 respectively to the pulleys |46 and |48.

From the arrangement in Figure 3 it will thus be seen that when thewinch drums are actuated, an even pull will be applied to the twopulleys |46 and |48, since the midportion of the cable is free to slipin the anchor member 30 to equalize the strain of the two end portionsof the cable. Thus, the trailer will be moved towards the tractor, andthe lift arms will tilt the trailer body in the manner previouslydescribed. It will be noted that during this movement, in thisarrangement, the pulley assembly is free to pivot about the verticalaxle |28; the block assembly is free to pivot about the horizontal axle|38; while the lift arms and the winch assembly can 6 pivot the axis ofthe fth wheel. During'this latter pivoting movement, it will be ofcourse apparent that the tension of the cable will be adjusted byslippage of the midportion of the same through the anchor member 30.

In addition to the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, it is also possible touse a somewhat similar arrangement of the cable and pulley mechanism, asshown in Figure 9. In the embodiment of Figure 9, the same partsreferred in connection with the pulley arrangement of Figures 2 and 3,as well as the general truck and trailer construction of Figures 1-8 isemployed and the same reference numerals have been applied. However, inthis arrangement the pulley block top and bottom plates |34 and |36 arereplaced by a pair of upper and lower plates |60, which are connected bythe horizontally extending hinge |62 to the previously mentioned upperand lower plates |30 and |32 secured by the vertical pivot pin |28 tothe flange members |24 and |26 previously mentioned. However, in thisarrangement the pulleys |46 and |48 together with their pulley shafts|40 and |42 are replaced by a pair of pulleys |64 which are mounted uponthe same pulley shaft |66. The pulley shaft |66 likewise isperpendicular and parallel to the pivot pin |28. In this arrangement,the flexible member or cable |50 has its end portions |52 and |54secured to the pair of winch drums |28, but at the inner sides of thesame instead of the outer sides as previously mentioned. Similarly, themidportion of the cable is slidingly received in the anchor member 30,while the other portions |56 and |58 are entrained over the two pulleys|64. The operation of this form of the invention is identical with thatpreviously described and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, it will be appreciated that a somewhat morecompact arrangement is made since but a single pulley shaft is providedfor the pair of pulleys as compared with the pair of pulley shafts inthe arrangement of Figure 3.

Figure 7 refers to a modified form of winch assembly which isspecifically applicable for use with the three pulley arrangement ofFigures 4-6t In this embodiment, it will be seen that the tractor framemembers |5 have mounted thereon a pair of angle iron members |10 whichconstitute longitudinally extending frame members of the fifth wheelplatform assembly. The members |10 may be secured as by bolting, weldingor the like or in any other desired manner, and by means of transverseweb members |12 which are composed of vertical plates, support a centralcasing |14 having a removable bottom closure |15. If desired, themembers |12 may be welded to the members |10 and |14, while a topplatform for the fth wheel assembly consisting of a plate |16 islikewise supported and welded to the members |12 and |14. The member |16is provided with a central aperture |18 and a fifth wheel in the form ofa disk or plate has a bearing member |32 removably secured to itscentrally apertured portion as by fastening bolts |84. Received withinthe bearing member |82 is a bearing collar |86 secured as by bolts |88to the closure member |90 of the casing |14. Extending through thebearing collar |86 is a bushing or tubular member |92 which by means ofjournal bearings |94 and |96 supports and journals a vertical winchdrive shaft |98. The lower end of the shaft extending into the casing|14 is provided with a gear 280 which is continuously in mesh with agear 202 carried by a shaft 204 which extends from the ,housing H4 andis coupled in any desired man-ner to the power talee-off of the tractor.y p

That portion of the vertical shaft 198 which extends above the bushingmember |92 has xedly secured to the same a Winch drum 20E, as by meansof afastening bolt 268.

In this arrangement it will be apparent that the 'fth wheel ISD is freeto rotate, being journaled upon the members |86, ISD and l'i', and 16,while the winch is free to operate without interfering with the fthWheel operation.

The form of winch and Winch operating mechanism shown in Figur-e 7 isespecially adapted for use in the three pulley system of Figures 4-(3,and the two pulley block referred to in connection with thatarrangement.

It is to be `understood that either of the winch driving means disclosedmay be equally employed with any of the three diierent pulleyarrangement of Figures 4 6, 3 and 9, and any of the foregoing may beutilized with the spring suspension system of the tandem axlearrangement.

From ythe foregoing, the construction and operation of the device willbe readily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of theforegoing speciiication and accompanying drawings, it is not desired tolimit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, butall suitable modications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A spring suspension system for a dump trailer comprising a pair ofload bearing axles,

invention, what is a pair of springs each connected to both of saidaxles, a trunnionV mounted on said springs, a support pivoted upon saidtrunnion for pivoting movement thereon, said support includingmembersadapted for xed attachment to the body of a dump trailer, said supportincluding a pulley supporting axle, pulley sheaves supported by saidpulley axle and adapted for connection with the actuating cable of abody dump mechanism, said pulley axle being parallel to said trunnion, apulley block carried by said pulley axle, .each of said sheaves beingmounted in said block for rotation-about an axis which is displaced fromsaid pulley axle.

2. In a dump trailer construction, a fth wheel mounted upon a tractorvehicle, a dump trailer body, a pair of lift arms pivoted to said fthwheel and .to said body and .coupling said body to said fifth wheel, atandem rear axle assembly, means pivotally mounting said body upon saidaxle assembly, pulleys mounted upon said body, a winch mounted upon saidfth wheel, a cable connecting said pulleys and said Winch, meansoperatively connecting .said winch to the power take-off of said tractorvehicle, said connecting means comprising a -vertical drive 1shaft,disposed axially of said Vifth wheel, Ysaid winch vconlprising a drummounted upon the upper .end `of said verticaldrive shaft, a gear securedto .the .lower end of said verticaldrive shaft below .said fth wheel, apower transmitting shaft .operatively connected to said gear and to altractor vehicle power take-off.

3. A spring lsuspension system for a dump trailer comprising a pair ofload :bearing axles, a pair of springs each connected to both of saidaxles, a trunnion mounted `on said springs, `a support pivoted upon saidtrunnion, fsaid support including members Vadapted for fiixed attachmentto the body of a dump trailer, said support including :a supportingaxle, `further members pivoted upon said supporting axle, and a draftmeans pivotally connected to said further members upon an axis which isdisplaced from said supporting axle Aand adapted for 'connection with abody dump mechanism.

4. A 1dump trailer .comprising a tandem rear axle assembly. a dump body,means pivoting the rear end of lsaid dump body to said tandem rear axleassembly for vertical 'tilting movement from a substantially 'horizontalload .carrying position to a sharply inclined dumping Vposition whileall of the wheels of the .tandemrear :axle .assembly support the Iloadof the dunrp body, 'combined draft and lifting means pivotally connectedto the dump body and to a towing vehicle, and means for shortening .thedistance from the tandem rear 'axle assembly to a towing vehicle wherebysaid combined dra/ft and lifting -means will cause tilting of said dumpIbody about. said tandem lrear axle assembly to a dumping position.

5. A dump trailer comprising a tandem rear axle assembly, a dump body,means pivoting the rear end of said dump body to said 4tandem rear axleassembly for vertical tilting movement from a substantially horizontal,load carrying position to a sharply inclined dumping .position whileall of the wheels of the tandem rearaxle assembly support the load ofthe dump body, and means operatively connected to said dump body fortilting .the latter from a normal load carrying position to a dumpingposition.

EDWIN A. SCHON'ROCK.

References cited in the fue of this patent UNITED 'STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,840,435 Davis Jan. .12, 1932 2,309,787 .Quintin et al Feb.2, 1943 2,517,933 Schonrock Aug. 8, 1950 2,542,795 Clement et al Feb.20, 1951 2,605,134 Clement et al July 29, 1952

